Why Credit Scores Differ With All Three Agencies

Why is that? Here are some of the reasons why the scores can be so different between the three reports. First of all, check each report thoroughly to make sure all of the information is correct.

There may be something on one that isn't correct, so that can affect your credit score with that particular monitoring agency. If one agency has incorrect information concerning your credit habits, then that credit report would differ from the others. Make sure you fix any incorrect information to get the correct score.

Another reason that the scores can differ between the three reports is that each agency has their own formula for coming up with their scores. Experian uses the standard FICO score, but adds a few of their own factors to it.

Equifax uses the standard FICO scoring model and TransUnion uses their own scoring system that they've developed for themselves. Another possibility is that your credit cards aren't reporting to all three of the credit monitoring agencies.

If only one credit report receives information from your credit cards, then it would reflect a different score than the other two monitoring agency reports. Be sure to check and see if all of the reports have all the information needed to set your credit score correctly.

It's also possible that some of the information that's reported to the credit bureaus isn't given to all three at the same time. One credit reporting agency may have received the information from a company, but the other two reports may not have gotten the information just yet. The credit scores would then differ greatly until the other two agencies receive the same information.

In order to protect your credit score and enable you to qualify for low interest loans, make sure each report has the same information, so that your score can be streamlined and you won't get any shocking declines when it comes time to process your loan application.

It's important to note that all three reports are not likely to have the same score as each other - even if all three have the same information. Since the different monitoring agencies use different factors and figures to come up with the score on your credit habits, it wouldn't be feasible to waste your time trying to get the scores to come out exactly the same.

The most important thing to be concerned about is keeping your credit in good standing and make sure the information on each report is correct. If you've kept your credit positive, then the scores will reflect that and lenders who evaluate the reports will agree that you'll be a good risk to lend the money to.

About the Author

William Brooks - Get Out of Debt Free Report, "The Underground "Debt" Railroad" and a Free 5 day Audio Quick Start Guide to get out of debt.